The Osceola times., 1887-12-03
THE DRUMMER BOY.
Y Am But q Captain; You Are q
Hero"


soldiers belonging to one of the Italian
infantry regiments, having been sent
to occupy an isolated house on height,
were Unexpectedly attacked by two
companies of Austrians. who, firing on
them from different points, barely gave
them time TO take refuge in the house
and hastily barricade the doors, leaving
several dead and wounded in the fields.
After barricading the doors the Italian
soldiers hastily ran to the windows on
the first floor, and began TO pour a
steady fire into the assalants. who
were gradually advancing in a semi
circle and replying vigorously.
The sixty Italians were commanded
by two subalterns and Captain. tall
old fellow. lean and severe, with white
hair and mustachcs; with them there
was Sandman drummer boy, boy
not much more than foIrteen years
old. and who scarcely appeared to be
twelve; he was small, with an olive
brown face. and two sparkling little
deep black eyes. The Captain was di-
recting the defense from u window on
the first floor. while the semi-circle of
the enemy kept closing up.
All at once. the Captain. who until
then had been impossible. was seen to
show signs of uneasincss and to stride
out of the room followed by sergeant.
About three minutes afterward the
sergeant came running back and called
the drummer boy, beckoning him to
follow. The boy ran after him up n
wooden staircase and went with him
into an empty garret, where he saw the
Captain, who was writing with a pencil
on a sheet of paper, leaning against
the window, with well-rope on the
door at his feet.
The Captain folded the paper, and,
looking with his cold, grayish eyes, be-
fore which all the soldiers tremblcd,
into the eyes of the boy, said abruptly:
Drummer boy!" The drummer boy
saluted. The Captain said: "You've
got grit" The boys eyes lighted up.
"Yes, Captain, he answered.
''Look down there" said the Cwp-
tain, pushing him to the window. "in
the plain, near the houses of Villa
franca, where there is n glittering of
bayonets. Those are our friends, stand
ing idle. Take this note, catch hold of
the rope, slide down from the window,
run down the hill. go through the
fields, reach our friends and give the
note to the first officer you see. Chuck
away your belt and knapsack.n
The boy took of his belt and KNAPP
sack and put the note into his breast
pocket; the sergeant threw out the rope
and grasped one end of it with both
hands; the Captain helped the boy pass
backward through the little window
"Takc care" he said to him; "the
safety of the detachment depends ON
your courage and on your legs"
Trust me, Captain. replied the
drummer boy, swinging himself out.
"Stoop rs you go down." said the
Captain again. helping the sergeant to
pold the rope.
"Never fear"
God help you"
In a few moments the boy was on the
ground; the sergeant drew up the rope
and disappeared; the Captain sprang to
the window and saw the boy flying
DOWN. the hill.
He was already hoping that he had
succeeded in escaping unobscryed when
live or six httle clouds of dust which
rose from The ground both before and
behind the boy warned him that he had
been seen by the Austrians. who wer,
firing at him from the top of the hill
Those little clouds were earth thrown
up by the bullets. But the boy con.
iinued to run at breakneek pace. Al
At once he fell.
Killed. reared the Captain, biting
0is fist. But he had scarcely said tho
word when he saw the boy get up
"Ah, only falll'' he said 10 himself
and breathed again. In fact the boy
began 10 run again as fast as he could
but he limped. "A sprained ankle, ,
thought the Captain.
The boy ran swiftly for awhile ther
limped and slackened his pace, ant
then broke into run again, but h,
seemed TO become more and more fa.
tigued, and every little while stumble,
and paused for moment
Perhaps he has been hit by a glanc
ing bullet" Thought the Captain am,
he shudderingly watched all his move
ments and encouraged him aud spok,
to him, as If the boy could hear him
be measured necessarily, with keei
eyes the distance intcrposing between
the running boy and the glittering o
arms which he saw down there in tn,
plain in tho midst Of the wheat fields
gilded by the sum And meanwhile b,
heard the whissiing and the noise O
the bullets in the rooms below, the inn
perious and angry cries of the officer.
and sergeants. the groans of the wound
ed, and the crashing of furniture and
plaster. "Up!courage"' he cried, fol.
lowing with his gaze the distant boy.
s.Fmwafd, runi He -jlas stopped.
enrse himb sAAi III isfrnning ngain.
y alleer ssple, elfsol bessth q